Big cook brine time

[kevinwi]

I have a big cook coming up on my Lang 60.
60 lbs of cut up chicken.
Never done a cook this big.
Typically for small Cooks I wet brine for about 4 hours.
I bought a large cooler to wet brine in ice. Is overnight too long?

Also, I'm concerned about temp drop in the cooker one it's loaded. It's winter here in Wisconsin.
Planning hot and fast around 350 deg. But hoping to get smoker up to 450 before loading it up.
My smaller unit years ago had trouble keeping temp loaded up.
Any suggestions Or tips?

 

[kevinwi]

no help...well crap.

 

[chopsaw]

60 lbs of cut up chicken.

I bought a large cooler to wet brine in ice. Is overnight too long?

I can offer an opinion . I don't think overnight would be to long , but I would make sure the chicken is close to frozen before going in the cooler , and I would add it in layers . Ice , chicken , more ice more chicken .

I had 40 pounds of breast one time that was packed in 10 bags . I put it in a deep freeze without breaking it down , and some of the bags spoiled , or atleast smelled bad when I went to use it .

I don't have a Lang , but I think you're right to overshoot and let it settle .
I add an addition small bank of coals in my kettles when doing brisket , but same difference .

Just be careful with that volume of chicken and the temp ( brining ) would be my opinion .

 

[G8trwood]

Using welding blankets to help stabilize temps?

 

[kevinwi]

Well I did 3 gallons of brine to cover everything along with 20 lbs of ice.
Chicken was ice cold, but not frozen.
Kosher salt
Sugar
Brown sugar
Peppercorns
Garlic powder

I have 4 pans of wicked beans, 6lbs of bacon wrapped shrimp and 5 lbs of Texas Sausage to cook....
Will cook that first and chicken last just for logistics....
Should have bought the 84. lmao!!

 

[Brokenhandle]

Hopefully you have time to take pics! Sounds like a feast!

Ryan

 

[JLinza]

Sounds like you got as good of a plan as any... be sure to get some pics and share with us.

 

[civilsmoker]

FYI just for future, I would have used 3 smaller coolers…..long ago when I was in the kitchen we always did smaller multiple batches…..better control and less room for a mess up. I’m not sure how you are going to serve up all 60lbs at once but it seems if they were staged on the smoker then you could say take 1/3 off at a time to keep them hot….or chambro them as they come off….just guessing cause don’t know your setup for prep or service…..good luck and be sure to temp the chicken as it comes off that’s a lot of potential for an issue and that extra insurance is worth it…..

 

[kevinwi]

FYI just for future, I would have used 3 smaller coolers…..long ago when I was in the kitchen we always did smaller multiple batches…..better control and less room for a mess up. I’m not sure how you are going to serve up all 60lbs at once but it seems if they were staged on the smoker then you could say take 1/3 off at a time to keep them hot….or chambro them as they come off….just guessing cause don’t know your setup for prep or service…..good luck and be sure to temp the chicken as it comes off that’s a lot of potential for an issue and that extra insurance is worth it…..

I have two cambro's. So I will haul it all at once.
Cooking beans first, then into warmer box on the lang.....
Then crank up the lang and cook the shrimp and sausage...and if room, I'll start the breasts.
When that's done they go into the cambro's.
Lastly is all the chicken.

 

[civilsmoker]

I have two cambro's. So I will haul it all at once.
Cooking beans first, then into warmer box on the lang.....
Then crank up the lang and cook the shrimp and sausage...and if room, I'll start the breasts.
When that's done they go into the cambro's.
Lastly is all the chicken.

Ok so cooking off site then delivering. The only thing I would change in your line up order is I would do the shrimp last. Chicken and sausage hold much better than shrimp. The other thing I would do is pre-warm your cambro's, ie put trays of near boiling water in the bottom of them to get them up to temp so the cooked product isn't doing that on the initial hold.

 

[bmudd14474]

24hr brine is no issue. Just have your salt right and keep you water temp below 42°.

As for the Lang get it to 350-375° and you will be fine on the recovery of the temp. 450° is fine but it will take a bit to get the pit down to 350°. Its alot of steel to cool.

 

[kevinwi]

Ok so cooking off site then delivering. The only thing I would change in your line up order is I would do the shrimp last. Chicken and sausage hold much better than shrimp. The other thing I would do is pre-warm your cambro's, ie put trays of near boiling water in the bottom of them to get them up to temp so the cooked product isn't doing that on the initial hold.

Yeah...last minute I decided shrimp last....something in the back of my mind...

 

[uncle eddie]

I have been using ChatGPT a lot more lately - and this ChatGPT answer to your question seems accurate:



The length of time to wet-brine chicken depends on the size and type of chicken pieces. Here's a guide:

For a Whole Chicken​

• Time: 8-12 hours (overnight)
• Purpose: This allows the brine to penetrate fully, ensuring flavorful and juicy meat throughout.

For Chicken Pieces (e.g., Breasts, Thighs, or Drumsticks)​

• Time: 1-3 hours
• Purpose: These smaller pieces don’t need as much time for the brine to work effectively.

For Chicken Wings​

• Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour
• Purpose: Wings are smaller and absorb the brine quickly.

Brining Tips​

1. Salt-to-Water Ratio: A basic brine is 1/4 cup of kosher salt per 4 cups of water. You can also add sugar (optional, 1/4 cup) and other flavorings like herbs, garlic, or citrus.
2. Chill: Always brine chicken in the refrigerator to keep it safe.
3. Rinse and Pat Dry: After brining, rinse the chicken briefly to remove excess salt and pat it dry before cooking.

Let me know if you’d like brine recipe ideas or additional tips!

 

[kevinwi]

Well...I'm beat, but the cook was a success. Folks raved. All a guy can ask.
Cranked up the smoker at 730am and finished cooking at 345pm. Dinner was at 430pm.
Cambros work awesome.

 

[G8trwood]

Well done